More seriously - you need to hold a straight edge (a very straight bit of wood or a metre ruler or similar type of stick) near the suspension if you want to 'see' if they are straight, even then it is easy to be 'thrown off' and think they are bent when they are not.

Does it handle ok?

If you are really concerned then it is a lot easier to see that they are straight when you take them out of the bike - if you are going to do this it is worth replacing the fork oil at the same time.

Last edited by eternally_troubled on Tue 22 Nov 2016, 3:11 pm; edited 1 time in total

More seriously - you need to hold a straight edge (a very straight bit of wood or a metre ruler or similar type of stick) near the suspension if you want to 'see' if they are straight, even then it is easy to be 'thrown off' and think they are bent when they are not.

Does it handle ok?

If you are really concerned then it is a lot easier to see that they are straight when you take them out of the bike - if you are going to do this it is worth replacing the fork oil at the same time.

ello

thanks for the message... bike seems to handle okay, but its been winter since ive had it so ive not done any chucking about really...

one thing i do know is, the tyre squeals under heavy braking!

yep i can take them out and get them looked at , i was just wondering if there is anything else i could have a go at first

Loosen the pinch bolts in the yokes, WHILST HAVING SOMETHING SUPPORTING THE WEIGHT OF THE BIKE TO STOP IT COLLAPSING ON YOU.Once the fork stanchion are loose twist them and see if the front wheel moves, if they're straight there should be no movement, a bent stanchion will move the wheel.

@ANDYC wrote:Loosen the pinch bolts in the yokes, WHILST HAVING SOMETHING SUPPORTING THE WEIGHT OF THE BIKE TO STOP IT COLLAPSING ON YOU.Once the fork stanchion are loose twist them and see if the front wheel moves, if they're straight there should be no movement, a bent stanchion will move the wheel.

@ANDYC wrote:Loosen the pinch bolts in the yokes, WHILST HAVING SOMETHING SUPPORTING THE WEIGHT OF THE BIKE TO STOP IT COLLAPSING ON YOU.Once the fork stanchion are loose twist them and see if the front wheel moves, if they're straight there should be no movement, a bent stanchion will move the wheel.

@bikermikey1 wrote:i know something is up as when i do a quick stop, the wheel straightens itself up (obviously) and this movement pulls the right handlebar towards me...

hmmm. doesn't sound good.

As Andy said, if you slip one or other out of the top yolk and twist it you will be able to 'see' how bent they are.

TBH if you are now fairly convinced about the bent-ness you might as well prop up the front of the bike and whip the forks out - if they are only *slightly* bent there are people (here but there must be others) who can straighten them for you.

Wemoto do new ones but you won't like the price. There are ones on ebay, but you might have to take a chance on bent-ness there too.

Anyway, best of luck - I would say you could just ignore it, but from what you've said it may be past that point.

@bikermikey1 wrote:i know something is up as when i do a quick stop, the wheel straightens itself up (obviously) and this movement pulls the right handlebar towards me...

hmmm. doesn't sound good.

As Andy said, if you slip one or other out of the top yolk and twist it you will be able to 'see' how bent they are.

TBH if you are now fairly convinced about the bent-ness you might as well prop up the front of the bike and whip the forks out - if they are only *slightly* bent there are people (here but there must be others) who can straighten them for you.

Wemoto do new ones but you won't like the price. There are ones on ebay, but you might have to take a chance on bent-ness there too.

Anyway, best of luck - I would say you could just ignore it, but from what you've said it may be past that point.

ta for the message. sorry for the late reply...

i just got my 600 back on the road so the 500 is in the garage ready to be dismantled and examined!

i will check out your link and see what we can do

thanks mate, i have been ignoring it so far... but as i have the other bike to get me around, why not look into it and get it sorted :-)